Group wants Magu charged for contempt over Ubani’s detention | Nairalaw

A non-government organisation, Cadrell Advocacy Centre, has
asked that the acting chairman of Economic and Financial
Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu be charged to court for contempt
over the continued detention of former Vice-president of Nigeria
Bar Association, NBA, Monday Ubani.

Ubani and Christopher Enai were arrested by the EFCC for
allegedly failing to produce Mrs Ngozi Olejeme who they stood
surety for.

Olejeme is accused by the EFCC of allegedly defrauding the
Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF of over N6.4billion.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Evans Ufeli,
the body said that the continued detention of Ubani by the EFCC
despite a valid court order, shows that Magu has no regards for the
judiciary

He said: ” The continuous of Ubani by the EFCC is a gross
violation of Ubani’s fundamental right and dignity of human person.
The conduct of the EFCC leaves so much to be desired in a country
that is being watched by the international community. We are
embarrassed at the conduct of the commission. The court order
directing the release of Mr Ubani or charge him to court must be
obeyed.

‘ We therefore call on the commission to release Mr. Ubani with
immediate effect as it is not the law that a surety shall face the
charges and/ or allegations of the suspect in a criminal case. Our
laws are clear on issues like this, hence our call for the
immediate release of Mr Ubani.

“Let this be known to all that Mr Ibrahim Magu is in contempt of
court and dereliction of his duties as the Acting Chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

“Contempt of court is an offense under our laws. It is contrary
to public policy, equity and good conscience to be in breach of the
same law which the commission claims to enforce. The commission
cannot be in violation of the fundamental right of the citizens and
the laws it sought to uphold and at the same time discounting court
orders made by the judiciary. The orders of court are sacred and it
must be obeyed!

“The suspect in the above case is alive and her whereabouts is
known to the commission. It’s therefore the responsibilities of the
commission to locate her and get her to answer to the allegations
against her. It’s rather unjust to drag and humiliate a citizen
whom the commission lured into standing as surety for the suspect
in question. EFCC is in dereliction of her statutory duties and
this is unacceptable, intolerable and repulsive.

“We hereby call on the court and all authority concern to charge
Mr Magu to court for contempt and trial him accordingly so as to
put an end to this kind of impunity. The Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission is hereby put on notice that if after 7 days from
the date this is communiqué is published our demand is not met we
shall have no other option but to proceed against the Commission to
the court for redress. We must protect this country from the
decline it suffers on account of the undesirable conducts of our
law enforcement Agents in our country.”